K9s For Warriors was founded in 2011 by Shari Duval who was inspired by her son, Brett Simon,[4] a contractor who returned from two tours in Iraq and developed severe post-traumatic stress.
[11][12][13][14][15][16][17] In November 2015, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton was nominated for the NFL's "Salute to Service" award[18] for his work with K9s for Warriors.
[19] Supermodel Kate Upton and husband Justin Verlander, an MLB player, have held fundraising events for K9s For Warriors and the SPCA.
[24][25][26] Currently, a large-scale clinical trial is underway at the National Institutes of Health to further study the efficacy of service dogs for veterans with PTSD.
The length of the trial allows for a better understanding of the interrelationships between psychological and behavioral processes, PTSD symptoms and service dogs.